


A Mini's Pep Talk

by NikaylaSarae



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, Mini-Me!AU, Negative Self Talk, Not Virgil himself just a mini version of him, Tiny!Winged!Virgil, minor injury
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-08
Updated: 2020-12-08
Packaged: 2021-03-10 04:00:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,013
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27947924
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NikaylaSarae/pseuds/NikaylaSarae
Summary: It shouldn’t surprise Roman, at this point, that on top of an already no good really really bad day he ends up getting attacked by another Side’s Mini-Me while looking for his own.
Comments: 3
Kudos: 45





	A Mini's Pep Talk

**Author's Note:**

> Fic takes place after SVS-Redux
> 
> Cross-posted to my Tumblr account @stillebesat.
> 
> December Drabbles Day 7

It was no use. Roman exhaled, cautiously pulling open the door to his room a crack so he could peer outside. He’d ransacked his bedroom a good dozen times and his Mini-Me was nowhere to be found.

Just. Perfect.

The grand cherry on top after an already bad day.

_We love you._

Roman hunched his shoulders, well aware that his appearance with his pjs and messed up hair was hardly _Princely_ as he slipped outside and tip-toed past the Others’ rooms. 

“Kingsley.” He hissed, wary of waking up everyone else as he moved down the stairs, phone in hand to act like a flashlight as he shone it over the darkened living room looking for his Mini-Me. “I really _really_ don’t have the energy for this!” 

Of all the days--nights for the scaredy cat to get it into his head to grow a spine, did he really have to do so at 4 am after Roman had been awake since six trying to get _something worthwhile_ completed after yesterday’s--

_We love you._

He growled, running a hand through his hair before dropping to his knees to peer underneath the couches for the tiny figure dressed in red. “Why do you do this to me?” Surely, the others didn’t have this much trouble with their own mini-selfs. 

_If_ they had mini-selfs to deal with. 

At this point, with all the stupid mistakes he kept making, all the _lies_ he kept believing, it wouldn’t surprise Roman to discover that he was the _only_ Side broken enough to have a mini version of himself manifest as a companion to him. 

A mini version that, despite being scared of his own shadow most days, had decided to leave the safety of Roman’s room and vanish. 

_We love you._

Roman sat up with a shaky sigh, scrubbing a hand over his face to ensure no betraying tears had left his eyes as he looked around the living room, searching for likely spots for his pocket sized self to hide in. “Kingsley.” He called out softly, without much hope of receiving an answer. 

He should just face the facts.

_Logan would love that._

Roman made a face as he pushed numbly to his feet, moving to the kitchen to check the lower cabinets. 

**Fact.** Kingsley was a scaredy-cat. 

**Fact.** Kingsley wasn’t in his room.

 **Fact.** Roman had been denounced as a bad guy.

Roman clenched his hands, breath hitching as he turned to the fridge. 

**Fact.** Kingsley was scared of villains.

 **Fact.** Kingsley was nowhere to be found.

 **Fact.** Kingsley didn’t want _Roman_ to find him.

Perhaps...perhaps it was for the best for his mini-self to have left. He--He deserved a-a better--better Si--

_I thought I was your hero._

Roman grimaced, slumping against the fridge, grabbing onto the top edge to keep him from collapsing to the ground. “Kingsley.” He choked out, closing his eyes. No. It was probably for the best. To..to end things here. “I’m sorry.” 

He didn’t even know how he’d _wronged_ the little guy. But obviously he’d screwed up. Again. Some more. He’d add it to the list. Because obviously Kingsley had heard how much like Remus Roman truly was. How much of a villain he could be.

He’d probably feared for his life and fled. 

“Geez. Stop with the waterworks.” An unfamiliar voice said, just before something sharp stabbed his fingers.

Roman yelped, jerking his hand away from the top of the fridge as he stumbled backwards only to stupidly trip over his own feet and send himself crashing to the tile floor with a loud thud. 

He groaned, closing his eyes. Well, there went being quiet. 

There was a flutter of feathers before a light weight landed on his chest, stalking up to his chin and poking him. “Knights are supposed to not give up without a fight. What’s wrong with you?” The voice demanded.

Roman made a face. _What was wrong with him?_ Where to start? The fact that he was so pathetic that he’d been scared by someone else’s Mini-Me? 

He tilted his head to glare at the tiny person on his chest, only to freeze, heart skipping a beat at seeing a familiar patchwork jacket and dark eye shadow under the eyes. 

A Mini Virgil.

 _Great._ He let his head fall back with a soft thunk on the cold tile, mentally cursing as he ran his thumb over his sore finger tips. “Did you stab me with a toothpick?” 

“No, I bit you.” Mini V retorted jumping up onto Roman’s face, landing on his nose, brilliant white wings flashing in the light of his phone as he kept them half spread. “You honestly think I could stab your fingers all at the same time with a _single_ toothpick?” 

Well...no. “You can’t exactly bite them all at the same time either.” He said, failing to keep the growl from his voice, glaring up at the Mini. “And as you’ve already noticed.” _Why_ did Virgil’s Mini have wings? Kingsley had nothing like that. “I’m not the sharpest tool in the shed. So _sorry_ for not _thinking it through._ Try Logan next time.” 

The wings fluttered as Mini V narrowed his eyes. “He’s not the one sobbing in the kitchen in the middle of the night.” 

“Yes, I’m a pathetic excuse for a Side, you don’t need to tell me twice.” Roman shot back, raising his hand palm up towards the Mini. “Get off my face before I sneeze you off.” 

V gave the hand a look of disgust before he jumped, wings beating in the air to keep him hovering in place as Roman pushed up onto one elbow. “What is _wrong_ with you? Knights don’t--”

Oh, for the love of Crofters! He didn’t need _another_ person telling him off. “I’m not a Knight!” He interrupted shoving to his feet. “I’m not a Prince. I’m not a Hero.” He spread his arms wide, a bitter smile on his lips as Mini V backed up a good foot from him, eyes wide. “I’m a freaking Nobody who has _no place_ here because no matter what I _do,_ no matter what I _say,_ no matter what _choice_ I pick to try and help Thomas achieve his dreams, it’s always the _wrong choice_ because the bloody RULES KEEP CHANGING!” He yelled, jabbing a finger at the Mini.

V visibly swallowed, wings fluttering as fast as a hummingbird’s. “Roman?” He whispered, a faint squeak to the end of his voice. 

And there he was. Messing things up _again_ . Being the freaking _evil twin_. Roman slumped, feeling the weight of a mountain settling on his shoulders. “Just--just forget it.” He turned from the frozen Mini, chest twisting with a hollow ache from how he’d just gone off on the little guy. He didn’t deserve that. Especially not for their first meeting. 

Though maybe it was par for the course...considering how awful he’d been to Virgil for most of their lives--it wasn’t like his Mini would have a high opinion of him anyways. 

Roman exhaled, closing his eyes as he crossed his arms. _Coward._ He couldn’t even face the Mini like a true man. “I’m sorry. You didn’t--I shouldn’t have...gone off like that.” 

If anything it proved that locking himself up in his room for the foreseeable future was the best course of action. 

Especially since yesterday’s debacle with Deci-- _Janus_ had already proved that he was a screw up through and through. 

Wrong was Right. Right was Wrong. 

Be Mean to Anxiety because he’s a Bad Guy. 

No. Be Nice to Virgil because he’s actually a Good Guy. 

Be Nice To Deceit because if Virgil was a Good Guy then Deceit could be a Good Guy too despite acting like a Bad Guy. 

No. Be Mean to Deceit because Deceit is Bad. 

No wait, be Nice to freaking _Janus_ because _Deceit_ isn’t actually the Bad Guy after all. 

No. Now _Roman_ was the Bad Guy. Dece-Janus the _Hero_ of the day.

His darkest fear come true. 

It was all topsy-turvy and Roman had been wound up so much through it all that he no longer knew which way was up.

If there was even an up in the first place. 

“ _Hey._ ” 

Roman hunched his shoulders, ducking his head as V darted in front of him to block his path out of the kitchen. “It’d probably be best to go back to Virge if you want a True Knight.” He muttered, avoiding eye contact. “I’m not--” 

“Dude!” 

Roman flinched, breath hitching as the Mini landed on his shoulder, wing brushing his cheek before a warm hand grabbed onto his earlobe and tugged hard enough he had to tilt his head to avoid getting it torn off. 

“I will say this as many times as you need to hear it to get rid of whatever earworm is tunneling through your mind right now.” V hissed. “You. Are. _Creativity._ If you don’t like who you are now, then C _hange._ ”

“Change?” Roman repeated like the concept was foreign to him as he eyed the Mini from the corner of his eye. It wasn’t. He just-- 

V huffed, tugging Roman’s ear one more time before he jumped off his shoulder to hover in front of his face. _“_ No one said you had to stick to one role your entire life, Roman.” He gestured towards the staircase. “If that were the case, Virgiepoo wouldn’t have had his little _Acceptance Arc_ with you guys.” 

No, they would still be enemies. _Anxiety_ the Villain. Though really with how awful he’d been to Virge--Roman grimaced. “Yes, but--” 

“But nothing.” V tapped his nose, leaning forward until Roman had to take a step back or else go cross-eyed. “You’re not a hero? Fine. You’re not a prince? Fine. You’re not a Knight--well that sucks because they’re rather cool--”

Roman couldn’t help but smile a little bit at that. They were cool. It was why he’d been one for so long.

V smiled back, shrugging a shoulder. “But whatever. It’s Fine. You get to decide how you want to be you.” 

Roman huffed a near laugh, leaning against the wall as he ran a hand through his hair. “You make it sound so easy.” But he’d been _Prince Roman_ for...well ever. Could he ever be thought of as anything else?

“I do. It’s not. Trust me.” V fluttered his wings wide, drifting closer. “You’re not the only Side still figuring himself out, Ro, even if it feels like you are right now. Thomas is constantly growing and changing. It would be silly if his Sides remained stagnant when he’s in motion.” 

It was silly. None of them were exactly the same Side they had been when they first started to interact with Thomas. It was just--he’d been the same Prince Roman for--well ever. He lowered his head, taking a slow breath. “What if…” He swallowed, forcing himself to look up. “What if they don’t like the changes I choose to make? What if they want me to stay the Prince and I _can’t--_ ”

“Then screw them.” V said, holding up his middle fingers. “And in the words of our dearest PatteyCake, _I will physically fight them._ ” He threw a couple of air punches. “For not _accepting you_ for who you want to be when you’ve tried so hard to accept them.” 

Well then. The corner of his mouth twitched upwards as a flicker of warmth seemed to grow in his chest. It was nice to know he has _one_ person in his corner. Though he wouldn’t bank on it lasting too long. Not with his current track record. But for now..after the day he’d had....it was a nice feeling. “Do you always lurk around in the dark waiting to give pep talks?” He asked, pushing away from the wall. 

V did a lazy loop in the air before landing on his shoulder, making himself comfortable as Roman climbed the stairs back to his room. “Only to people I like.” 


End file.
